| **Product and Geographic Information (Revenue from External Customers by Products and Services) (Details) $ in Millions** |        | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------|-----------------|
||
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of principal product categories | catergory                                                                        |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 7 |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   | $ 1,447        | $ 1,339         | $ 1,410 | $ 1,345 | $ 1,439 | $ 1,372 | $ 1,448 | $ 1,363 | $ 5,541 | $ 5,622 | $ 5,501 |
| Subsequent Event [Member]                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of principal product categories | catergory                                                                        | 5      |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| ICD Systems [Member]                                                                                                      |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1,582 | 1,746 | 1,741 |
| Atrial Fibrillation Products [Member]                                                                                     |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1,096 | 1,044 | 957 |
| Pacemaker Systems [Member]                                                                                                |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 941 | 1,047 | 1,042 |
| Vascular Products [Member]                                                                                                |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 716 | 709 | 704 |
| Structural Heart Products [Member]                                                                                        |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 595 | 639 | 631 |
| Neuromodulation Products [Member]                                                                                         |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 475 | 437 | 426 |
| Thoratec Products [Member]                                                                                                |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]**                                                   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Net sales                                                                                                                 |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 136 | $ 0 | $ 0 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of Principal Product Categories
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_RevenuesFromExternalCustomersAndLongLivedAssetsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=stj_ICDSystemsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=stj_AtrialFibrillationProductsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=stj_PacemakerSystemsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=stj_VascularProductsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=stj_StructuralHeartProductsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=stj_ThoratecProductsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |